Publications
Partners
A new official portrait of King Charles has raised eyebrows around the globe.
The painting by British artist Jonathan Yeo, unveiled this week, shows the 75-year-old monarch standing in his Welsh Guards uniform, hands on his sword, a half-smile on his face with a butterfly hovering just over his right shoulder.
His entire body is swathed in a sea of crimson and it almost appears that his face is floating.
While many fans loved the portrait's bold and non-traditional feel, others did not.
READ MORE | King Charles back in action: Royal recovery sparks cautious optimism
“To me, it gives the message the monarchy is going up in flames or the king is burning in hell,” wrote one commentator on the royal family’s Instagram account.
“It looks like he’s bathing in blood,” quipped another, while another critic likened it to “colonial bloodshed.”
Even comparisons to the devil were bandied about.
Yeo (54), who rose to fame in his twenties as a contemporary portraitist, has painted the likes of actor Dennis Hopper, model Cara Delevingne, Sir David Attenborough and former UK prime ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron.
At the unveiling, Yeo joked that if Charles did not like it, his head would be on the line.
READ MORE | Prince William's new title is 'a slap in Prince Harry's face,' say royal watchers
“If this was seen as treasonous, I could literally pay for it with my head, which would be an appropriate way for a portrait painter to die – to have their head removed!"
Charles’ wife, Queen Camilla, gave it her seal of approval telling Yeo, “Yes, you’ve got him.”
Yeo said it had been an honour to paint the king.
“To try and capture His Majesty, who occupies such a unique role, was both a tremendous professional challenge, and one which I thoroughly enjoyed and am immensely grateful for.
“I do my best to capture the life experiences and humanity etched into any individual sitter’s face, and I hope that is what I have achieved in this portrait.”
He said he wanted the painting to be distinctive and contemporary, a break from past portraits which can be seen as more traditional and staid.
Red is widely considered a regal colour and the butterfly symbolises Charles’ metamorphosis from prince to king, as well as his love of the environment.
Yeo says the butterfly was the king’s idea.
“I said, 'When schoolchildren are looking at this in 200 years and they're looking at the who’s-who of the monarchs, what clues can you give them?' He said, 'What about a butterfly landing on my shoulder?’”
SOURCES: bbc.com, nytimes.com, Instagram
